Sj. Davies et al., REPRODUCTION AND DIVISION-OF-LABOR IN LEPTOGENYS SCHWABI FOREL (HYMENOPTERA-FORMICIDAE), A POLYGYNOUS, QUEENLESS PONERINE ANT, Ethology, ecology and evolution, 6(4), 1994, pp. 507-517
The combination of polygyny and natural queenlessness is uncommon in a
nts. The ponerine ant Leptogenys schwabi Forel 1913 has no morphologic
ally or anatomically distinct reproductive castes and several mated wo
rkers in each colony, providing a model for the study of the effect(s)
of polygyny on the social organization of a naturally queenless speci
es of ponerine ant. L. schwabi also presents a case of queenlessness t
hat is useful in comparative evolutionary studies of natural queenless
ness because it is phylogenetically independent of previously-studied
examples. Virgin laying workers were few unless mated workers were exp
erimentally removed from the colony, indicating that their reproductiv
e physiology is regulated by the mated workers. No physical interactio
ns or oophagy were seen, implicating a pheromonal mechanism of regulat
ion. The combination of queenlessness and polygyny did not affect the
general pattern of division of labour. This may be attributed to the i
nhibitory influence exerted by mated workers over virgin workers that
forestalls the disruptive effects of reproductive competition among Vi
rgin workers.